Britney Spears steps out sans engagement ring, bra

Upbeat and single or signs of an impending spiral? In a move reminiscent of the chaotic days before her 2008 meltdown, Britney Spears emerged from behind the wheel of her white Mercedes in Beverly Hills on Saturday styling a peachy halter minidress that barely kept her important bits in check.

In addition to displaying a prodigious amount of mammary action, the Pebbles Flintstone-coiffed popster, 31, also showed off a bare ring finger, a space previously occupied by a $90,000 rock from newly ex fiancé, Jason Trawick.

While Brit appeared to make a deliberate display of holding up her right hand for paparazzi, her left was clearly without the sizable Neil Lane sparkler, which she reportedly returned to Trawick after their yearlong engagement fizzled earlier this month.

The relationship sticking point, according to People, was opposing views on procreation: The mom of Sean Preston, 7, and Jayden James, 6, wanted kids with Trawick, but he "wasn't ready."

Another source alleges to Us Weekly that Jason, 41, who also served as Britney's co-conservator, has been planning the breakup for months and was "using her. He made a big deal for her to get a residence spot at Caesars in Las Vegas, then finally had enough money to end it."

No Sin City deal has yet been announced, but Spears "has a lot to be excited about and thankful for," another confidant enthuses to People. "Life goes on."

An Us insider chimes in that Brit, who has plenty of free time now that she's not returning to the "X Factor," is "going to be set up on dates with cute guys soon!"

As we contemplate whether those cute guys, like Trawick, will be given legal control over her life, click on for more photos of Britney's bra-free outing on Saturday …